This 12-volume set from Deutsche Grammophon is representative of
Claudio Abbado's somewhat varied
Mahler output in the period from 1977 to 1993. These performances of the symphonies were recorded with three great orchestras, the
Berlin Philharmonic (No. 1, No. 5, and No. 8), the
Vienna Philharmonic (No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 9, and the Adagio from No. 10), and the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra (No. 6 and No. 7), and they should not be confused with
Abbado's later live, all-digital releases, made in the 2000s with Berlin. While
Abbado has not been extolled as one of the great Mahlerians, he has contributed solid interpretations to the catalog and impressed listeners and critics with his deep understanding of the music and his passionate response to it.